Coil shaping machine



July 19, 1949. J. B. LEECE COIL SHAPING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 11, 1946 y 19, 1949- i J. B. LEEE 2,476,743

COIL SHAPING MACHINE Filed Sept. 11, 1946 I 3 Sheets-S heet 2 INVEN TOR. Jbf/N 5. A5565 4 free/w: Y5

Patented July 19, 1949 umreo suresenrsn 'r OFFlC E'-L cont SHAPINGMAHmE v JohnB. Leece, University Heights; Ohio, assignor to The Leece-Neville Company; Glevelandi Qhio', acorporation of Ohio 7 1? 5 Application September 11, 194e,- steal N; .eseqao This invention relates to apparatus forshapan electri al coils and, as one of its objects, aims to provide an improved apparatus of this kind which. is relatively simple in its construction and operation but which will accomplish the coil shaping operation rapidly'an'd with a desired uniformity' for the shaped coils.

Another obiect oftlie present invention is to provide improved apparatus for rapidly and economically bending or shaping electrical coils, and particul'a'rlycoils" of the inductor bar type intended for use in the armature members of generators or other" electrical machines;

A further object of this invention is to provide improved apparatus of this kind; in which a numher of such coils can Ice-subjected to the desired" shaping operation simultaneously and during which the coils preferably are disposed in a group" or arrangement corresponding generally with their arrangement in the electrical machine in which they are ultimately assembled;

Still another object is to provide a coil shapingapparatus of this character, in which relat tively movable die members are employed and have cooperating rows of slots in which corre- Spending portions" of the coils of agroup or 'se= rie's' engage so that the relative movement of the die members will cause bending of such cor-' responding portions of all of the coils simultaneously and" to substantially the same extent.

The invention can" be further briefly summar ized as consisting in certain" novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly set out in the claims hereof.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings,

Fi 1 is a plan View showing coil shaping apparatus embodying thepreSent invention;

Fig; 2 isia" vertical section taken through the apparatu'ssubstantial'ly'onthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3' is a horizontal section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2 and" showing the pair of relatively rotatable die members with the coils engaging in the slots thereof;

I Fig. 4 is a; sectional view" looking toward the slotted portion of the third" die member as indicated" by line 44 of'Fig; 2"; 1

Fig. 5 is another horizontal section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2" and showing the. relation of the ejector meansto the sleeves which carrythe die rings; v

' Fig. 6 is a. fragmentary sectional view of the three cooperating diemembers showing the same on a larger scale, the view; being taken substane tiali'y asindicatedby' line 6 -5 of Fi 3';

Fig; 7 a plan view'of one" of the work coils l lfl-Claims. (cries-e)- g b' efor e being subjected to the shaping opera Fig 8" an endyiew of the coil looking toward.'tlie'open- 'endi'thereofi' l f Fig. 9' is a plan view of the same coilafter having been s'ubj'ect'edito the shaping operation: and Fig. I0 is an end view of the shaped coil look-' ing' toward the closed end. thereof.

The improved apparatus 20, as described in greater. detaill'hereinafter', can be used to perform a shaping operation onvarious kinds of electrical coils and is especially suitable for performing operations of this character on coils which are used in thearma'ture'members of generators or other electrical machines. The expression armature member as employed here in is used in abroad sense in which it is intended to inchlde any rotor, stator, armature or electri' cal machine part containing shaped coils. .The coils employed in such an armature member may consist of only" a' single" turn of copper wire of relatively heavy cross section and in which certain portions of the'c'oil form i'nducto'r'bars. Coils fabricated for this use are required to be shaped or bent so that the ends or connecting portions thereof will be offset with respect to the inductor bar portions, as is well understood by those skilled in the electrical art.

By way ofexamplejFi'gs; 7 and 8 of the drawings Show one form of electrical coil Ill with which the present apparatus 20 can be used to advantage for the desired. shaping operation; Figs. 7' and'"8 show the coil ill in its initial form, and Figs. 9 and 10' show the same coil after it has beensubjected to a shaping or forming operation by the improved apparatus. As shown in Figs. '7' and 8 the coil lll isiinade' of Wire of a substanvti'ally'r'ectangular cross section, and in its initialflforin' the coil is of. the so-called hairpin? shape having a pair of spaced substantially parallel legs Hl'a' and I011. At the closed end of the c011,. these legs are connected'by a bend H ollrelati'vely small radius so that the intervening space l2 betweenthe adjacent legs is relatively narrow. The legs llla; and "lb can be of substantially' the same length or; as here shown, the Iegllla is slightly longer than the leg I01). In the initial form ofithe coil as shown in Figs. and 81 the legs llla' and. lllb, as well as the connecting bend H, allilie i'nsubstan'tially the same 1313116.. J'

As mentioned above, Figs; 9 and I0 show the coil l0 aiter'theshaping operation has been per:- formed thereon by the improved apparatus. Dur- 3 ing the shaping operation, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, the legs Illa and lb are spread apart in a direction substantially normal to their common plane by the forming of two bends l3 and M in each of these legs. The bend i4 is formed in the legs at a point relatively close to the connecting bend H while the bend i3 is spaced somewhat further from the bend l l. Each of the bends l3 and I4 is somewhat greater than a right angle and when they have been formed in the legs the coil has what can be conveniently termed a wish-bone shape in which leg portions of substantial length constitute substantially parallel inductor bar portions IS. The particular coil [0 shown in this instance is intended for use in the slots of a stator (not shown) for an alternating current generator in which a field rotating in the stator induces electrical currents in the inductor bar portions 15. When the coils are assembled in the stator the inductor bar portions l5 extend through annularly spaced axial slots in the wall of the stator and their projecting straight ends are subjected to a further bending operation, by apparatus other than that disclosed herein, before the electrical connections are made thereto.

The improved coil shaping apparatus includes a die mechanism 2| which is mounted on a suitable frame or base plate 22. The apparatus also includes actuating and ejector cylinders 23 and 24 which are also connected with the base plate 22 and are controlled by valves 25 and 26 respectively. The base plate 22 can be a slab or plate of any appropriate size or shape and can be supported by any suitable means such as the top 21 of a work bench or conveyor table.

The die mechanism 2! comprises a pair of inner and outer die rings 28 and 29 relatively rotatable about a common axis 59 and a third die ring 39. The die rings 28 and 29 are disposed in opposed or coextensive coaxial relation to each other and are carried and actuated by coaxial stationary and rotatable sleeves 3| and32 respectively. The sleeve Si is connected with the base plate 22 in fixed relation thereto by being mounted on a hollow block or bushing 33 which extends through an opening 33a of the base plate and is anchored therein as by means of a retaining screw 34 which is threaded into the base plate and has a locking projection 35 extending into a radial opening of the bushing. The lower end of the stationaryinner sleeve 3| surrounds the upper end of the bushing 33 in relatively close fitting relation thereto and is connected with the bushing by means of the dowel pins 40.

The rotatable sleeve 32 is carried by an actuating gear or gear sector 31 having. a central opening 37a by which it is rotatably mounted on the bushing 33. The gear 31 is located above the base plate 22 and is slidably supported by the upper face 22a thereof. The sleeve 32 can be connected with the gear 31 by having its lower end welded thereto as indicated at 39. The lower end of the sleeve 3! forms an externalannular shoulder 4! on the bushing 33 which isspaced above the surface 22a of the base plate 22 to form the guideway in which the gear 31 operates. In the construction above described, the sleeves 3i and 32 extend above the base plate 22 in upright coaxial relation with an annular space 43 therebetween. The die rings 28 and 29 are mounted on the upper ends of the sleeves 3i and 32, as by means of the screws 44 and 45, with the outer periphery 28a of the die ring 28 in op- 4 posed or coextensive relation to the inner periphery 29a of the die ring 29. These opposed peripheral portions of the die rings overhang the annular recess 43 and extend substantially into meeting relation with each other.

As shown in Fig. 3 the periphery 28a. of the inner die ring 28 is provided with a series of annularly spaced radial slots 46, and similarly the inner periphery 29a, of the outer die ring 29 is provided with a series of annularly spaced radial slots 57. The slots 46 and 47 are of a size and inopposed or complemental relation to the slots of the other series, the legs la and 19b of the coil 19 can be readily inserted thereinto.

The die rings 28 and 29 can be of any appropriate depth or thickness so as to provide the necessary bearing engagement with the legs of the coils ill to accomplish the desired bending operation thereon. In'this instance these die rings engage the legs Illa and Nib of the coils for a portion only of their length while the remaining portions of the legs extend downwardly into the annular space 43. This annular space also accommodates an annular ejector member 49 which, in its retracted position shown in Fig. 2, forms a support for the lower or open ends of the coils All. When the legs of the coils are of different lengths as shown in Fig. '7, the ejector member 49 is constructed with an annular recess 49a thereon into which the longer legs of the coil extend.

When the adjacent peripheries 28a and 29a of the die rings 28 and 29 are constructed with the slots AB and 47 therein as described above, the intervening portions of these peripheries form annular rows of teeth 50 and 5|. To prevent portions of any of the coils from being accidentally subjected to shearing, or from causing jamming, between the teeth 50 and 5| of the two die rings during relative rotation thereof, one of the die members, preferably the inner die member 28, is provided with a retaining band or rim '52. This rim can be mounted on the periphery of the F die ring 28 by suitable connecting means or can be shrunk thereon. The rim 52 extends in continuous relation around the die ring 28 and across the slots 48 thereof. The inner periphery of the outer die ring 29 lies in relatively close relation to the rim 52 so that this rim also extends across the slots 41 and may be slidably engaged by the tops of the teeth 5|.

' .The third die ring 38 iscarried by a block or weighted body 54 which is liftable relative to and detachable from the die rings 28 and 29. The body 54 has a head portion 54a to which the die ring 30 is attached by means of screws 55 and stem portion 56 which is rotatable and axially slidable in the stationary inner sleeve 3|. The body 54 is provided at its upper end with a suitable lifting means or handle such as a screw-eye 51 having a stem 51a threaded'thereinto. The third die ring 30 is provided on its lower face with a series of annularly spaced radial slots 58 which are spaced from the common axis 59 such that this row of slots overlies the rows of slots 46 and 41 of the die rings 28 and 29 as shown in Fig. 2.

In the operation of the apparatus as thus far described, thebody 54 carrying'the third die ring 30 is removed from the die rings 28 and 29 by being vertically lifted either manually or by suitable lifting apparatus. During this removing operation the lifting force is applied to the eyebolt or handle mentioned above. When the third die ring 38 has been thus removed, the coils l8 eczema having theinitial shape shown in Figs Hand's are inserted'into the slots of the-'- die rings in the relation shown in Figs. 2 and-3 and when all of the slotshave been filled, the coils will"con s'titutea fullannular series about the common axis 59. The body 54, is -then replaced on the-die-ri-ngs 283 and 29 with thethird die 'ring'SEl engaging the tops of the coils til s o that thebends" I l tl iereof-ext'end into the slots 58.. Theweight of the body {it holds this member in place relative to the die rings 28 and 29 and retains the bends H of the coils in theslots 58'." ""The outer sleeve'32'and the die ring 29- carried thereby are then rotated relative to the=inner sleeve '31 and die ring 28 for a desired angular distance to subject the coils'lo to-the-bending operation. During this relativerotation; the legs ofeachcoil' arespread or stretched apart arcu V atelyabout the common axis '59 so thatthe bends t3 will be formed in the legsimmediately adjacent the tops of the die rings 28 and 29 and the bends It will be formed in the legs immediately adjacent the third die ring 30. In the bending operation'just described the third die ring 30 also serves as a holding means for the coils which maintains the tops thereof at the correct annular' spacing so that the bends being made in the legs will all be of the same shape and extent.

During the bending-operation above described, it will be understood that the third die ring 30 is' rotatable relative to the stationary die ring 23 by reasonof the fact that the stem 56 ofthe b'ody'llll is capable of rotation in the stationary sleeve 3i. No positive rotating'movement isapplied to the body 54 other than theforce which is applied to the third die ring during the stretching ordistortion produced in the coils II In other words, during the bending operation the third die ring 30 is rotated an angular distance approximately one-half-of the angular rotation of the die ring 29 and'this rotation ofthe third die ring is producedsolely by' the translatory movement of the tops .of the coils-which results from the pulling force-which the movable die ring 29 appliesto one set oflegs of the'coils While the other set is being held stationary by the stationary die ring 28, v The relative rotation between the sleeves 3| and 32 for actuating the die ring 28 is produced by an angular movement or oscillation of the gear 31. This gear can be driven by any suitable power means and in this instance is operably connected with a reciprocating rack 6! by means of an idler gear 62. The idler 62 is rotatably mounted on the base plate 22 by means of the pivot screw 63. The rack 6| is guided and held in meshing engagement with the idler 62 by a guide roller so which is rotatably mounted on the base plate by means of the pivot screw 65. The rack 6! is actuated by the above mentioned power cylinder 23. This is a double acting cylinder having a piston 61 operable therein and connected with the rack by means of the 58. V V

Suitable motive fluid under pressure, such as compressed air, is adapted to be supplied to or piston rod exhausted from [the ends of the cylinder 23 through the connections 69 and 10 and the control valve 25. The valve is of a conventional construction and controls the operation of the cylinder 23 such that movement of the handle H in one direction will cause rotation of the die ring 28 in one direction and movement of the handlev in the opposite direction will cause rotation of the die ring in. the other direction. The

and whosetransverserhottom. wall forms a cone necting or mounting spider M. The spider 14 has'radial arms i5 which extend through axial slots 'lfiin'the inner sleeve 31:. The. central portionoff the spider M, is connected :to a. sleeve 01' thrust memberl fimby means of the screw TI and this sleeve is, in turn, connected witlzrthe thread ed outer end-18m? ot a piston rod. 18 projecting from; the ejector cylinder 24-.

The ejector cylinder 24 is a double acting cylin der which extends in depending relation to :the bushing 33 and: maybe mounted thereon by being provided with a threaded extension [9 which is screwed into an opening of thebushiing- Apiston so is reciprocably operable in the cylinder and is connected with thepiston rod is. Compressed air or othersu itablemotive fluid is supplied to cor exhausted firom the cylinder through the conduit connections 81 and arm cause lift= ing or lowering of theannutar'ejrector 49; The operation of the cylinder 24 is controlled bythe valve 26 which is of a conventional construction and operates such that movement of its lever 83 inone direction will cause lifting of the ejector '69 and movement of the lever in the opposite direction will cause the ej ector to be lowered or retracted. Y

Theamount of bending to which the legs of the coils l0 are subjected depends upon the amount of relative angular movement produced between the sleeves 3i and Mandthe die rings 28 and 2-9 carriedthereby. This angular movement is limited in. extent by suitable stop means such as the stop screw 84 which is mounted on the base plate 22 andis adapted'to be engaged'by the-outer end of the rack 6 I. Adjusting nuts 85 provided on the screw 84 permit the-same to be adjusted for varying the amount of relative angular movement permitted between the die rings 28' and 29.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings it-will now be readily'understood that this invention provides an improved coil shaping machine which is relatively simple in construction and which operates in an efiicient manner to form or bend electrical coils to a desired shape. r 1 Althoughthe coil shaping machine of the present invention has been illustrated and described herein in considerable detail, it will be understood ofcourse that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspondingly but in-v cludes all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the claims hereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a machine for shaping electrical-coils of the hairpin-typehaving substantially parallel conductor bar portions prior to assembly of the coils ina magnet'member, a pair of substantially coaxially disposed die members having opposed such that the ends ofsaid bar portions project therefrom, means mounting: said die members for arcuate relative movement sozas to cause bending of. said bar portions to a desired shape, means for causing such arcuate relativemovement between the .die members, and ejecting means movable axially of said pair of die members and having an annular portion engageable with the projecting endsof the bar portionsof said coils. 1-. 2. Ina machine for shaping electrical coils of the type having substantially parallel conductor bar portions connected at one end by a substantially U-shaped bendprior:to assembly. of the coils in a magnet member, apair of die members provided with slots adapted to receive therein the parallel bar portions of a series of said coils, a third die member having slots adapted to .re- Jceive therein the u-shapedbends of said coils, :means mountingsaid pair. of die members so as to permit relative movement therebetween of a predetermined extent for'causing the die members to bend said bar portions to a-desired shape, nneans for positioning said third die member rel- :ative to said pair, of diezmembers so as to enable said third die member to engage said U-shaped bends for holding said series of coils during the bending of said bar portions, and actuating means for causing such relative movement between the die members of said pair. 7 :3. In a machine for shaping electrical coils of the type having substantially parallel conductor bar portions connectedat'one end by a substantially U-shaped bend prior'to assembly of the coils in a magnet member, a pair of substantially coaxially disposed die members havingannular rows of slots adapted to receive therein the parallel bar portions of an annular series of said coils, a third die member having an annular row of slots adapted to receive therein the U-shaped bends of said coils,,means mounting said pair of die members for arcuate relative movement for causing the ;die members to bend said bar portions to a desired shape, means for positioning said third die member relative to said pair of die members so as to enablesaid third die member to engage said U-shaped bends for holding said series of coils during the bending of said bar portions,- and actuating, means for causing such arcuate relative movement between the die members of said pair, i

4. In a machine for shaping electrical coils of the type. having substantially parallel conductor bar portions connected at one end by a substantially U-shaped bend prior to assembly of the coils in a magnet member, a pair of substantially coaxially disposed die membershaving opposed annular portionscontaining rows of slots adapted to receive therein the parallel bar portions of an annular series of said coils, the slots of said opposed annular portions being of a length suchthat the free ends of said-bar portions project therefrom, a third die member having an annular row of slots adapted to receive therein the U- shaped bends of said coils, means mounting said pair of die members for arcuate relative movement for causing the die members to bend said bar portions to a desired shape, means for positioning said third die member relative to said pair of die members so as to enable said third die member to engage said L t-shaped bends for holding said series of coils during the bending of said bar portions, actuating means for causing such'arcuate relative movement between the die members of said pair, and ejecting means movable axially of saidpair of die members and having an annular portion engageable with the projecting ends of said bar portions of said coils. 5. Inzcoil shaping apparatus, a pair of relatively rotatable sleeves disposed in substantially coaxial relation with an annular space therebe tween, said sleeves having annular die means at their outer ends which overhang said space and are provided with axial slots adapted to receive portions of the coils to be shaped, an annular ejector member in said space and forming a support adapted to be engaged by the inner ends of the coils, means for producing relative arcuate movement between said sleeves for causing bending of the coils to a desired shape by said die means, and means for moving said ejector mem ber axially in saidspace.

6. In apparatus for shaping electrical coils of the hairpin type havin bar and loop end portion, a pair of substantially coaxially disposed annular die members having opposed peripheral portions provided with complemental slots adapted to receive said bar portions of the coils to be shapedwhile said end loop portions of the coils project from said die members, a third die member having an annular portion provided with slots in which the end loop portions of said coils engage, means mounting the die members of said pair for relative arcuate movement for causing bending of said bar portions, means for positioning said third die member relative to said pair of die members so as to enable said third die member to engage said end loop portions for holding said coils during the bending of said bar portions and also permitting said third die member to have both arcuate and axial movement, and means for producing relative arcuate movement between the die members of said pair.

7. In coil shaping apparatus, a pair of substantially coaxially disposed annular die members having opposed peripheral portions provided with complemented slots adapted to receive lower portions of the coils to be shaped, a floating die member capable of axial and arcuate movement and having an annular portion provided with vertically disposed spaced slots in which upper portions of said coils are adapted to engage, said floating die being adapted to be supported on the coils and being weighted for retaining the slots thereof in engagement with said upper portions of the coils, and means for producin relative arcuate movement between the die members of said pair.

8. In coil shaping apparatus, a pair of relatively rotatable inner and outer sleeves disposed in substantially coaxial relation with an annular space therebetween, said sleeves having annular die portions at their outer ends which overhang said space and are provided with axial slots adapted to receive portions of the coils to be shaped, an annular ejector member in said space and forming a support adapted to be engaged by one end of the coils, said ejector member having a retracted position relative to the slotted die portions such that the other ends of the coils project from said slotted die portions, a third die member having a stem portion extending into the inner sleeve and an annular shoulder provided with radial slots in which said other ends of the coils are 'engageable, said third die member being weighted for holding the same in engagement with the coils and being axially and arcuately movable relative to said sleeves, means for producing relative, arcuate movement between said sleeves for causing bending of the 9 coils to a desired shape, and means for moving said ejector member axially in said space.

9. A coil shaping machine of the character described comprising, a support, a gear member pivotally mounted on said support, an upright sleeve carried by said gear member and arcuately movable therewith, a second upright sleeve fixed on said support and extending coaxially with the first sleeve, said sleeves having complemental die rings thereon provided with annular rows of axial slots in their adjacent periphcries and which slots are adapted to receive portions of the coils to be shaped, a power device on said support and having operative connection with said gear member for imparting arcuate movement to said first sleeve, a member axially and arcuately movable in the inner one of the coaxial upright sleeves, and a third die ring carried by the last mentioned member and having an annular row of slots in which the tops of said coils are adapted to engage.

10. A coil shaping machine of the character described comprising, a support, a gear member pivotally mounted on said support, an upright sleeve carried by said gear member and arcuate- 1y movable therewith, a second upright sleeve fixed on said support and extending coaxially with the first sleeve with an annular space therebetween, said second sleeve having axial openings in the wall thereof, complemental die rings on said sleeves and provided with annular rows of slots in their adjacent peripheries and which slots are adapted to receive portions of the coils to be shaped, an annular ejector member in said space and forming a support adapted to be enaged by the lower ends of said coils, actuating means for said ejector including arms movable in said axial openings, a weighted member axially and arcuately movable in the inner one of the coaxial upright sleeves, a third die ring carried by said weighted member and having an annular row of slots in which the tops of said coils are adapted to engage, and power means adapted to act on said gear member for actuating the movable sleeve.

JOHN B. LEECE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

